Freedom campaign for Malaysian Anwar

The family of jailed Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim have vowed to launch an international campaign for his freedom.

Malaysian Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim

Australia has joined a chorus of countries questioning the jailing of Malaysia's opposition leader. (AAP)

The family of jailed Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has described his five-year incarceration as an "outrage" and vowed an international campaign to free the former deputy prime minister.

The "March to Freedom" program, Anwar's second daughter Nurul Nuha Anwar said, is designed to drum up international support from political leaders and human rights groups to press for her father's release.

"March to Freedom is that struggle," she said on Wednesday.

"A struggle to free our father from unjust incarceration and give voice to Malaysians who have suffered injustice in our country."

Nuha, 31, said the jail sentence imposed on her father on Tuesday had left the family "devastated."

"We hoped justice would prevail. However the outcome has left us devastated. We are outraged," she said in a statement.

Tuesday's ruling was also criticised by international human rights groups, Australia and the United States.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said her government was "deeply concerned by the severity of the sentence", while a US embassy statement said the episode "raised serious concerns regarding the rule of law and the independence of the courts".

Amnesty International called it "deplorable" and part of a Malaysian government campaign to silence critics.

"We consider Anwar Ibrahim to be a prisoner of conscience," it said.

Government critics say the case is part of a long-running campaign to destroy Anwar, who was ousted from the ruling party in the late 1990s and later helped unite a previously divided and hapless opposition into a formidable force.

Anwar's conviction is expected to have a big impact on Malaysia's political landscape, which recently saw a rejuvenated opposition coalition gaining significant electoral ground from the long-ruling government.


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Source: AAP


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